American Science Fiction TV: Star Trek, Stargate and BeyondFrom "The Next Generation" and "The X-Files", to "Farscape" and "Enterprise", sci-fi television series in the US have multiplied since the 1980s. Jan Johnson-Smith shows how, in line with national political upheavals, this vibrant and perplexing genre set about expanding the myth of the Western frontier into deep space. She looks at the "sense of wonder" or sublime that infuses much Frontier art and science fiction, and traces a possible historical precedent to the genre in the fabulous and heroic journeys of the Classical epic. She discusses narrative styles and their influences, from the overarching narrative of "Babylon 5" to the episodic formula of "The Outer Limits", considers how experimental series such as "Twin Peaks" challenge conventional structures, and how and why sci-fi television has adopted new technologies. She also explores the juxtaposition of arcane language and technological jargon in modern American sci-fi television, revealing the extraordinarily alien, yet curiously familiar arena it creates. |
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Page 5
... and for storytelling, alternative ideologies and cultural discourses in both narrative-drama and narrative-imagery have begun to appear in recent series. This narrative imagery tells its own, sometimes discordant, story 5 INTRODUCTION.
... and for storytelling, alternative ideologies and cultural discourses in both narrative-drama and narrative-imagery have begun to appear in recent series. This narrative imagery tells its own, sometimes discordant, story 5 INTRODUCTION.
Page 6
... tells its own, sometimes discordant, story and is a strong feature in sf television today. NEW IMAGES John Hellman has argued convincingly that writers and artists have found a new location for a free re-working of the frontier myth in ...
... tells its own, sometimes discordant, story and is a strong feature in sf television today. NEW IMAGES John Hellman has argued convincingly that writers and artists have found a new location for a free re-working of the frontier myth in ...
Page 19
... telling; the realist tendency means that the signifier is effectively effaced. The ambitions and lexicon of sf are in contrast with the central objectives of most other genres. For Delany, 'mundane' fiction generally proceeds: as a ...
... telling; the realist tendency means that the signifier is effectively effaced. The ambitions and lexicon of sf are in contrast with the central objectives of most other genres. For Delany, 'mundane' fiction generally proceeds: as a ...
Page 31
... tell us – again, usually in oblique ways – something about the nature of the world we find them in.71 Eric S. Rabkin has identified three main functions of metalinguistics – the relationship of language to meaning – in his work on sf ...
... tell us – again, usually in oblique ways – something about the nature of the world we find them in.71 Eric S. Rabkin has identified three main functions of metalinguistics – the relationship of language to meaning – in his work on sf ...
Page 71
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action actually alien allows American ancient appears articulated associated audience Babylon become called Centauri challenge characters comes command concept concerns consider context continuity create crew cultural Dark Deep Space Delenn demonstrates diegesis Earth effect Enterprise epic episode equally established example existence experience exploration film final forces frontier future genre human idea identified ideology images individual issues John language later light lives London Maquis McQueen means military Minbari narrative nature Nine occurs offers original parallel past perhaps planet political potential present Press problem programmes question races reality reference remarkable says science fiction season sense Shadows Sheridan ship shows Sinclair Star Trek Stargate station story Sublime suggests television tells texts turn universe Vietnam visual Voyager Western whilst wormhole